UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform at Penn State has announced J. Patrick Biddix as its second research fellow. In this role, Biddix will lead the center’s hazing prevention research and consult on research projects that will inform how professionals make a critical difference in creating safer fraternity and sorority chapters and communities. 

“I’m excited to further extend my research into practice with the Piazza Center,” Biddix said. “The vision, leadership and partnerships of the center position it as a foremost authority in prevention efforts. I believe in the potential of fraternity and sororities to provide positive experiences for college students, and I look forward to working with the Piazza Center to build safer organizations.” 

Biddix is an endowed professor of Higher Education at the University of Tennessee and a recognized expert in fraternity and sorority research. He has authored numerous publications and reports on membership correlates and appeared in national media, including National Public Radio (NPR). Biddix’s research and teaching expertise includes research design and assessment; student success and engagement; and higher education policy. Biddix is the author of "Research Methods and Applications for Student Affairs" and co-authored the second edition textbook of "Assessment in Student Affairs" and the second edition of "Frameworks for Assessing Learning and Development Outcomes." In 2015, he received a Fulbright Scholar Award to study student engagement and learning in Montreal, Canada. 

Biddix’s work will focus on advancing our knowledge of hazing prevention in fraternity and sorority communities,” said Stevan Veldkamp, executive director for the Piazza Center. “We are thrilled to have the foremost researcher of fraternity and sorority life join and work with the center’s signature prevention of hazing and hazardous drinking project.” 

In 2014, Biddix co-authored "The Influence of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement: A critical analysis of research." He has completed grant-funded research with the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) and worked with the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) on various research initiatives including mental health and wellness. From 2010 to 2013, Biddix served as editor of Oracle: The Research Journal of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors. 

The Piazza Center is a multidisciplinary research initiative whose mission is to uplift fraternity and sorority life. The center’s research agenda is based on a change model focused on a two-pronged approach to stronger and safer organizations: 

• Stronger: Enhancing student learning, leadership and services; improving diversity, equity and inclusion; and increasing health and wellness. 
• Safer: Focusing on campus prevention and intervention, including prevention of hazing, substance misuse and dangerous drinking. 

The center produces actionable data to give practitioners, campuses and headquarters the evidence needed to enact significant change on their campuses for the over 750,000 Greek-life organization members across more than 770 campuses with fraternity and sorority life.